Character Artist at Naughty Dog in Santa Monica, CA

This is an on-site position in Santa Monica, California.

For nearly 40 years, Naughty Dog has been crafting best-selling, critically acclaimed games that constantly push the boundaries of narrative, gameplay, and technology. Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Part II Remastered as well as a current generation remake of The Last of Us Part I for the PS5. Currently, we’re busy at the kennel working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and we'd love to find talented individuals to join us!

Naughty Dog games have long been lauded for their evocative, character-driven stories and attention to detail. We are committed to innovation within our games and as such have curated some of the top creative and technically innovative minds in the industry. We welcome diverse candidates and believe that a broad range of cultural and life experiences contribute to the overall well-being and success of the studio and the titles we craft together.

What you will do:

• Perform sculpting/modeling different outfits, people and animals as needed for a realistic world setting
• Texture for clothing with an emphasis on wear including grime, giving each asset a backstory through damage and dirt
• Texture for skin including sub surface scattering, discoloration, imperfections, etc
• Conduct Retopology and efficient UV layout
• Create hair cards/fur and setting up shaders
• Work with other departments such as Concept art, shading, and rigging to develop a high-quality production pipeline

What skills you will use:

• Bachelor’s degree in any field, or foreign equivalent degree
• Two (2) years of experience as a character artist, or in a related occupation
• Experience/knowledge/ability must include the following:
  • Experience working on AAA titles as a character artist
  • Knowledge of clothing folds, and human anatomy
  • Understanding of game production pipeline
  • Ability to create clothing assets which feel "lived in" through texturing (demonstrating Color fades, tears, grime, etc.)
  • Ability to make skin feel natural by applying color variations that show veins, discoloration, imperfections, etc.
  • Relevant software proficiencies: Zbrush, Autodesk Maya, Substance Painter, Photoshop

The estimated USA base pay range for this zone (Los Angeles area) is listed below. This role may be eligible for additional compensation packages that includes annual bonus and other incentive plans.

$85,000—$135,000 USD

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